To reduce the size, simplify the structure of a light emitting and receiving system. The system that detects a target object with the use of reflected lights gained from a light irradiated to the target object includes a flat-plate shaped light control apparatus having light control parts, a light-entry apparatus allowing light to enter into a light control part, a light-receiving apparatus that receives emitting lights from the remaining light control parts, a control apparatus that controls the light-entry apparatus and the light-receiving apparatus and detects the target object. The light control apparatus includes liquid crystal elements supporting light control parts between a pair of substrates and a drive unit to drive the liquid crystal elements. Each of the light control parts includes a pair of electrodes, a high-resistance film disposed between the electrodes, and a liquid crystal layer disposed at least to the region overlapping the high-resistance film.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A light emitting and receiving system that detects a target object with the use of reflected lights gained from a light irradiated to the target object comprising: a flat-plate shaped light control apparatus having a plurality of light control parts capable of bending the direction of an incident light, a light-entry apparatus that allows light to enter into one or more light control parts of the plurality of light control parts, a light-receiving apparatus that receives emitting light from the remaining one or more light control parts of the plurality of light control parts, a control apparatus that controls the operation of the light-entry apparatus and the light-receiving apparatus, and detects the target object using a signal according to the state of the emitting light emitted from the light-receiving apparatus, wherein the light control apparatus includes liquid crystal elements supporting the plurality of light control parts between a pair of substrates and a drive unit to drive the liquid crystal elements.
2. The light emitting and receiving system according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of light control parts comprises: a pair of electrodes disposed with a gap therebetween in a planer view, a high-resistance film whose sheet resistance is higher than that of the pair of electrodes disposed between the pair of electrodes, a liquid crystal layer disposed at least to the region overlapping the high-resistance film, between the pair of substrates.
3. The light emitting and receiving system according to claim 2 further comprising, a lens optical system which collects the emitting light from the light control apparatus, and a light-receiving element which outputs an electric signal according to the intensity of the emitting light collected from the lens optical system.
4. The light emitting and receiving system according to claim 2 further comprising, an optical fiber optical system which collects the emitting light from the light control apparatus, and a light-receiving element which outputs an electric signal according to the intensity of the emitting light collected from the optical fiber optical system.
5. The light emitting and receiving system according to claim 2 , wherein the pair of electrodes have light-shielding property.
6. The light emitting and receiving system according to claim 1 further comprising, a lens optical system which collects the emitting light from the light control apparatus, and a light-receiving element which outputs an electric signal according to the intensity of the emitting light collected from the lens optical system.
7. The light emitting and receiving system according to claim 1 further comprising, an optical fiber optical system which collects the emitting light from the light control apparatus, and a light-receiving element which outputs an electric signal according to the intensity of the emitting light collected from the optical fiber optical system.
8. A light emitting and receiving system that detects a target object with the use of reflected lights gained from a light irradiated to the target object comprising: a flat-plate shaped light control apparatus having a plurality of light control parts capable of bending the direction of an incident light, a light-entry apparatus that allows light to enter into one or more light control parts of the plurality of light control parts, a light-receiving apparatus that receives emitting light from the remaining one or more light control parts of the plurality of light control parts, a control apparatus that controls the operation of the light-entry apparatus and the light-receiving apparatus, and detects the target object using a signal according to the state of the emitting light emitted from the light-receiving apparatus, wherein the light control apparatus comprises: a first liquid crystal element supporting a plurality of first light control parts capable of bending the incident light in a first direction between a pair of substrates, a second liquid crystal element disposed to overlap the first liquid crystal element supporting a plurality of second light control parts capable of bending the incident light in a second direction which crosses the first direction between a pair of substrates, a drive unit to drive the first liquid crystal element and the second liquid crystal element, and wherein each of the plurality of light control parts is configured to overlap with one of the plurality of first light control parts and one of the plurality of second light control parts.
9. The light emitting and receiving system according to claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of first light control parts and the plurality of second light control parts comprises: a pair of electrodes disposed with a gap therebetween in a planer view, a high-resistance film whose sheet resistance is higher than that of the pair of electrodes disposed between the pair of electrodes, a liquid crystal layer disposed at least to the region overlapping the high-resistance film, between the pair of substrates.
10. The light emitting and receiving system according to claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of first light control parts and the plurality of second light control parts further comprises: a common electrode provided to oppose the pair of electrodes and interpose the liquid crystal layer between the pair of electrodes and the common electrode.
11. The light emitting and receiving system according to claim 10 further comprising, a lens optical system which collects the emitting light from the light control apparatus, and a light-receiving element which outputs an electric signal according to the intensity of the emitting light collected from the lens optical system.
12. The light emitting and receiving system according to claim 10 further comprising, an optical fiber optical system which collects the emitting light from the light control apparatus, and a light-receiving element which outputs an electric signal according to the intensity of the emitting light collected from the optical fiber optical system.
13. The light emitting and receiving system according to claim 9 further comprising, a lens optical system which collects the emitting light from the light control apparatus, and a light-receiving element which outputs an electric signal according to the intensity of the emitting light collected from the lens optical system.
14. The light emitting and receiving system according to claim 9 further comprising, an optical fiber optical system which collects the emitting light from the light control apparatus, and a light-receiving element which outputs an electric signal according to the intensity of the emitting light collected from the optical fiber optical system.
15. The light emitting and receiving system according to claim 8 further comprising, a lens optical system which collects the emitting light from the light control apparatus, and a light-receiving element which outputs an electric signal according to the intensity of the emitting light collected from the lens optical system.
16. The light emitting and receiving system according to claim 8 further comprising, an optical fiber optical system which collects the emitting light from the light control apparatus, and a light-receiving element which outputs an electric signal according to the intensity of the emitting light collected from the optical fiber optical system.
17. The light emitting and receiving system according to claim 9 , wherein the pair of electrodes have light-shielding property.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
October 17, 2017
August 21, 2018
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